¡Habla Ya!

As mentioned in Rach´s previous post, we´re taking some Spanish classes for a few weeks in Boquete. We were feeling like our beginner´s Spanish wasn´t really enough so we had a look (Google) for a Spanish school in Panama. Luckily, we found Habla Ya, which has turned out to be a fantastic place to learn. We´re in a small class (4 people including us) with a great teacher, Janeth. It´s intense; 4 hours a day entirely in Spanish. It´s massively improved our Spanish though and we´re definitely enjoying it. We get more than enough chance to practise at home with the host family with whom we´re staying (post on them coming up!). We´re even managing to watch and (mostly) understand some TV, e.g. "Los Simpson"!



These two jokers, Carlos and Julio, actually set up the school. They have kept us entertained while studying with poker games, meals out and nights out in bars, one of which was particularly hectic (see below...).



The staff are great and there's a very sociable atmosphere between the students. Our classmates are Kary, from the USA, and David, from the US Virgin Islands. We're all at about the same level and keen to join in in class, which makes it a lot more fun and effective.



On Saturday last we went out for a meal with some staff & students from the school for a meal, followed by some drinks and dancing at a couple of local bars. We had an ace time, just check out the photos...




We enjoyed the first week so much that we decided to definitely do three weeks altogether. That means we'll be here in Boquete for Rach's birthday, which will be fun! We'll be sad to leave.

Rob

Boquete

After over a month of travelling, we decided it was time to stop for a while and take the time to really get to know one place in Panama. We are now taking two weeks of intensive Spanish lessons in Boquete in the Chiriqui highlands. Although we are getting plenty of opportunity to speak Spanish in Central America, we thought we could do with some more lessons to give us extra confidence. More about classes later, but first Boquete. It is a truly beautiful spot high up in the mountains, making it cool and fresh; a welcome change from the heat and humidity of Bocas. However, the weather here has its drawbacks too; every morning is clear and bright but by midday the clouds hang low over the mountains and the rain begins. As we sit here now, there is the usual afternoon downpour outside, which will probably last for hours. Luckily we have lessons in the afternoons so it's bearable!



Can't complain too much about the climate here, the regular rain and sunshine means that everything is lush and there is life everywhere. Flowers like this gorgeous orchid grow in hedges and gardens and the mountains are carpeted with cloud forest.



We spent a lovely (relatively rain free!) day walking in the mountains near the Rio Caldera. It's a perfect river with clear sparkling water, waterfalls and rapids. It's best to see it this time of year, too, because the rainy season means it's at its full force.




There's a large idigenous population in this area, largely Ngöble-Bugle people who live high up in the mountains in wooden houses or communes with several small dwellings grouped together. The women wear lovely embroidered dresses, as you can see on this little girl, and the children are very inquisitive and friendly.





Because of the altitude - most of the farms are around 1500m above sea level - and the climate, Boquete produces the finest coffee in Panama (some say the world!). During our stay here, we're living with a fantastic Panamanian family who have a coffee farm (more about them in a later post).




We're really enjoying a bit of routine and stability here and are in no rush to get back on the road yet. Boquete feels like home for now and we're thinking of staying for an extra week!

Rachel x

Adventures of the spade #3

The relaxing mood of the Panamanian Caribbean coastline is certainly infectious. Even the spade is joining in!

Rob

Bocas del Toro

After a two day journey from Chitre, with an overnight stop in rainy David, we arrived in gorgeous Bocas del Toro. It`s an archipelago just off the very North Westerly corner of Panama, near the Costa Rican border. The journey was pretty stressful, winding along narrow roads through jungles and over mountains in a mini bus, but the scenery was spectacular. We also saw a sloth crawling (very slowly!) across the road next to the bus! Don`t worry, the traffic stopped to let it get to safety.
So, Bocas... we`re staying in the main town on Isla Colon, the biggest of the islands. It`s a great place, really relaxed with pretty wooden buildings and sea front bars. The water is incredibly clear and you can watch countless fish swimming around the jetties. I took this photo within minutes of arriving on the island in water taxi.



This was our view at lunchtime today- not too bad, I suppose!



These colourful wooden buildings are typical of Bocas town.




We`re staying in a lovely hostel right near the water front, Hostel Hansi. We think it`s the best place we`ve stayed so far, with our own little balcony, a well-equipped kitchen and all spotlessly clean. We`re staying for about five nights, so it`s great to have such a nice base.



A couple of days ago we took a water taxi to the brilliantly named Playa Wizard on another island. It has to be the most perfect beach I`ve ever seen- a long stretch of sand with gentle water and lots of shade to protect us from the scorching sun! The best thing was that there was hardly anyone on the beach except us. After a while, a couple of local boys came riding along on horses. It was a really strange, but beautiful, sight.



Yesterday we went on a tour of some of the main sights in the archipelago. We had a little boy called Mario accompanying us - we think he`s learning the ropes to be a tour guide one day. He was such a serious child and, though he was only 10, the other guides joked that he was more like a 45 year old!



If you look closely at this photo (remember if you click the picture it will show it full size)and you can see Rob's head getting sun burnt!



We had a snorkelling stop off on the tour. Not a lot to see besides coral and small fish but deliciously warm clear water.




Part of Bocas is a designated marine park because of it`s important habitats like these mangrove swamps.





We spent a couple of hours on Red Frog Beach, so-called because of the poison arrow frogs that live in the forest behind the sand. It`s the only place they live in the world and we saw one! It was absolutely tiny, probably 2 1/2cms long and a vibrant red and black. No photo, though, sadly! Another lovely stop was Dolphin Bay (noticing a theme?) where we saw lots of bottle-nose dolphins really close to the boat. Some were jumping right out of the water. Show offs.

Rachel xx